Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-27
A COMPLICATED CASE.
Demmig Arrested for Ben
hayOn's Murder.
LEES SENSATIONAL STORY.
He Produces Evidence Connecting
the Suspected Man with
BenhayOn's Demise.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD. !
SAN FRANCISCO, October 26.-The
inquest in the Benhayon case was re-
sumed this afternoon. y. Lowen-
stein, dry goods salesman, was
placed on the stand and stated that he
had been intimate with Benhayon for
eight years, and last saw him alive on
Friday night. He further testified
that last Wednesday Benhayon met
him and told him that a friend OF his
had given him 50 to pay for room at
No. 90 Geary street, and that the fol-
lowing day Benhayon told him that he
had engaged the room.
AS the witness left the stand Mrs.
Higson, the and.ady of the house,
identified him as the second man who
had called at the house to see about
renting the room and who had paid
her IS.
Lowenstein was recalled and posi-
lively denied having rented the room,
but afterwards admitted that he had
called at the house last week to see
two ladies who lived there. He was
unable to give the names OF the ladies
or tho name OF the friend who ne said
was with him at the time.
Mrs. Higson insisted that her iden
tification was correct and at the con-
clusion of the session this afternoon
both Lowenstein and Demmig, who
Mrs. Higson stated was the first man
who called about the room, were
taken into custody.
EVENING SESSION.
At the evening session Isaac X.
Levy and Charles S. Harris, of the
fancy dry goods store on Kearney
street where A. Lowenstein is en-
ployed, testified as to the latter's hab-
it's.
Mrs. Sophia Reitzke, who ohas charge
of a lodging house at $40 Gear street
where Benhayon lived, testii I'd at
length in connection with Lowen-
stein, Benhayon and one Hager, a
man from Milwaukee whose naiae has
been mentioned in connection with
Benhayon's death, but no important
information was elicitet,.
SENSATIONAL STATEMENT.
Dwarzhield, dentist with whom
Benhayon was associated was being
closely examined, especially as to
Benhayon's actions on last Saturday
when Captain of Police Lees stepped
in the room and said that he had very
important information to communi-
cate. He then took the stand and
said in substance that he had just
completed Il line OF investigation
which lis sufficient, in his mind, to
hold c. Demmig, who has SO far
figured in the case rs q mysterious
book-agent, for the murder of Ben
hayon. The court room at this point
became almost impressively silent.
MYSTERIOUS VISITS.
Captain Lees, continuing, said that
it had been ascertained that for sew
eral weeks past Demmig has made
frequent calls at the county Jail and
held conversation with Bowers. Dem
migs wife, who was once in the FAM
lily OF Bowers, was also q frequent cal
Ter. This evening he Captain Lees
received a visit from w. w. Lacy,
who owns drug store on the corner
OF O'Farrell and Taylor streets. Lacy
stated that from what he had read in
the papers he had come to the conclu-
sion that it was he who had indirectly
furnished the cyanide OF potassium
that caused Benhayon's death, and
that the person who obtained the
poison was Demmig.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES
Were as follows: About ten days
since Dcmmig called at the drug store
and represented himself as dealer in
art material and also connected with
another drug store in the city. Dem
mig called several times thereafter and
at one time stated that he would like
a small amount of cyanide Of potas-
ium, az with this he wished to remove
certain spots of nitrate of silver from
his body. Lacy, supposing that Dem
mig was a druggist, freely let him
have the potassium. The poison was
not sold, it was given to Demmig.
DEMMIG WAS THE MAN.
After this information was received
Captain Lees took Demmig up to see
Lacy, and the latter at once identified
him as the man to whom he had given
the poison. Demmig afterward con-
fessed that he had obtained the poison
of Lacy.
DEyMIG's TESTIMONY.
John A. Demmig, who stated that
he was formerly at the oil wells near
Los Angeles, was among those placed
on the stand. He confessed that he
obtained the cyanide of potassium
of Lacy, but to be used, as stated, to
remove spots of nitrate of silver from
his body. He positively denied any
connection with Benhayon's death.
w. w. Lacy was called and gave
the facts as before outlined. After
some further examination the inquest
was continued until tomorrow.
BENHAYoN BURIED.
Henry Benhayon was buried to-day
in the Home Peace Cemetery, with
jewish rites. Rev. DR.. Messinly de-
livered the sermon.